


A Smart Idea

by abadgerinthebluebox



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, RIORDAN Rick - Works, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Funny, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Slice of Life, Summer Camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 14:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22497370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abadgerinthebluebox/pseuds/abadgerinthebluebox
Summary: Percy Jackson would follow Annabeth Chase anywhere, a monster's lair, a sentient labyrinth, the bottom of the ocean, the Ares Cabin ... THE ARES CABIN?? Wait no, now that's a ridiculous idea, right?... Right?? ANNABETH WHERE ARE YOU GOING??--Just because they save the world on a regular basis, doesn't mean they are above summer camp shenanigans. A tiny look into a time in between the end of PJO and the begging of HOO, when Percy finds himself in the most unfamiliar situation: typical teen drama.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Kudos: 41





	A Smart Idea

**Author's Note:**

> This was for a friendly writing challenge, but I think anyone can enjoy it. Fair warning: The friends who I was doing it with were not familiar with the Percy Jackson world (or greek mythology in general) so this might feel a bit too exposition-y. Still I think it's a funny little thing, and if it makes you smile, it was worth posting.  
> Dialogue Prompt: “You really think this is a smart idea?” “Nope.” “Good. I’d be concerned if you did.”

“You really think this is a smart idea?”  
Several things worried Percy Jackson as he asked this question. The first being that he was usually the one who was asked something like this. Being the voice of reason, was not a part he was used to playing. The second was that the person that usually asked it – Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, super smart, brilliant strategist – was the one he was asking it to.  
“Nope.” His girlfriend replied while unlocking the window’s latch with her trusty celestial bronze knife. When had she even learned to do that?  
“Good. I’d be concerned if you did.”  
Annabeth made a face at his sarcastic remark and climbed on the window ledge. Campers were not generally allowed inside cabins other than their own, unless for official camp business, but the Ares cabin was definitely a no trespassing zone under any circumstance. Between the gruesome paint job and the barbwire, the cabin reserved for the children of the God of War was an architectural keep out sigh. You’d think an architecture nerd like Annabeth would respect that.  
“Come on, Seaweed Brain! We’ve gotten into places a lot worse than this.” She called him out from the ledge.  
“Yes.” Percy agreed still not moving an inch closer, arms crossed over his chest. “But usually, that’s because the world is about to end.”  
“Urg. I’ve never seen this side of you Percy. I think I’ll have to choose a different partner next time I have a quest.” She teased and then moved inside.  
“Hey!” Percy protested.  
He hesitated, taking a step forward then back. He looked around and then against his better judgment followed Annabeth into the wolf’s den. As if there were any place in this world or the next he wouldn’t follow her into.  
As cabin counselors both Percy and Annabeth had been inside cabin 5 for inspection. On the walls next to each unmade bed, impressive weapons were hanged, as well as photos, rock band posters, and on a few of them, trophies from quests: broken horns, fangs, and claws of monsters. The momentums, as well as the cuts and bumps on the walls from brawls, were no strangers to Percy. And he did expect the usual messiness, though this time the cabin looked like a wild wind spirit had gone loose inside it. Clothes, armor and weapons were thrown all over the floor and other available surfaces. He grimaced at a pair of boxers hanging from a sword on the wall.  
“I can’t believe it, they actually do clean up for inspection.” He couldn’t help remark.  
Annabeth snorted and moved carefully on her tippy toes, trying to avoid the mess. She walked towards the biggest bunk in the cabin, the… Oh no… Oh no, no, no. Why Gods, why? Out of all the Ares kids… They were both finally on good terms with her. Why did it have to be...  
“Hmm… Why are you going for Clarice’s bunk?” He asked, following her.   
Annabeth looked back at him as he came closer. Her inquisitive grey eyes looked him up and down, analyzing him as if there was something new to see after knowing each other since they were 12 years old.  
“That’s funny,” She said, “I didn’t know chickens could swim.”  
It was the son of Poseidon’s turn to make a face at her.  
“Stop, avoiding the question Wise Girl,” Percy accused, poking at her side, “I have been a good partner following your lead, so answer my question: Why are we here?”  
“We’re here...” Annabeth started as she reached for her pocket. “...For this!”  
She pulled out a scrunchy. A Scrunchy! A hot pink scrunchy.  
Percy wondered for the one-hundredth time in his life if the Gods were playing a trick on him. He seriously considered if any Divinity in the Parthenon had the power to make two mortals change bodies. Because right now, his girlfriend being possessed by one of the Stoll brothers from the Hermes cabin made a lot of sense. It was a disturbing possibility, but a possibility none the less.  
“Yeah… I’m gonna need a little more context.”  
Annabeth smiled at him warmly and then returned her attention back to the bunk bed in front of them.  
“You know that girl that got claimed by Athena, the other night at dinner...”  
“New girl, about 13 years old?” Percy thought back.  
“Mhmm,” She hummed in confirmation. “Apparently while she was staying unclaimed in cabin 9 some of the Hermes kids convinced her she had to go through a rite of passage.”  
Annabeth’s eyes moved quickly across Clarice’s corner of the cabin, as she explained. Considering the options, calculating the outcomes, her eyes reflected the thoughts racing through her mind. She was looking for a hiding place, Percy realized, any doubt that this could be anyone other than his Annabeth flying out the window.  
“She figured if this was a regular thing, the item would be returned by the Hermes kids once the deed was done. They didn’t actually expect she’d be able to steal anything from Clarice, of all people, they were just playing a prank on her. But she succeed and then she was too scared to confess. She always felt bad about it, so when she came into my cabin, she told me what happened and asked me to help.”  
Finally, she made up her mind and tossed the scrunchy under the bed. Turning back to Percy with a proud smile as she concluded her story.  
“And you, couldn’t give it back and explain what happened because…?” He teased her with a grin.  
“Really Percy? How well, do you think that conversation would have gone?” She raised an eyebrow at him with her hands on her hips. He couldn’t help himself to move closer, looking at her defying face. She was right of course. As much as Clarice had improved over the years, she did not take a joke on her with grace.  
“You’re right, breaking and entering was a much better plan.” He agreed sarcastically.  
“I’ll admit it’s not the smartest plan, but it was the plan least likely to backfire.” Annabeth looked down admitting it. When she looked back up to him, her eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. “...What?”  
Percy realized he was grinning like an idiot at her. He moved his hand to pull a strand of curly blonde hair out of her face and shorted the distance between them even more.  
“It’s just nice to know, my divinely brilliant girlfriend can act like a silly teenager sometimes. It’s very...”  
“Don’t!”  
“...Mortal.”  
“Urg!” Annabeth punched him in the shoulder for the accusation, temporarily putting space between them. He moved his hand from her hair to the back of her neck and brought her closer again. Their eyes fixed on each other. Boys and girls from different godly parents were not supposed to be alone in a cabin. But what was breaking one more rule today? Annabeth closed her eyes in anticipation as their faces moved closer and he did the same.  
He could almost taste her when the very distinctive sound of Ares kids approaching – shouting, snickering, weapons clanging – came from outside the cabin door. The two teenagers jumped out of their skins almost, their fighting reflexes making them move fast. Annabeth took out her New York Yankees baseball cap, and before Percy had time to protest she put it on and turned invisible.  
“Traitor!” He screamed whispered.  
And without a second thought, Percy ran back to the window they had entered and jumped through it like he was diving into the ocean. Falling into the ocean would have been more pleasant, especially for him, as the son of the Sea God water did not hurt him, instead, it moved around him to cushion his fall. Grass and dirt, however, were perfectly insistent on remaining stiff and getting into his mouth as he rolled into his landing.  
“WHO LEFT THE WINDOW OPEN?”  
Percy barely had time to spit out the grass when Clarice’s voice sounded from inside. With no place close enough to hide, Percy moved back and glued himself to the cabin wall. He wished he could melt into it, the way wood nymphs melted into trees. He felt movement above him, Clarice was looking out the window. Knowing her, she’d be looking out for anyone suspicious.  
‘Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look down!’  
He heard the window fall shut and getting locked. He let out the breath he was holding and let his legs buckle from under him to slid to the ground. That was a close one. After a few deep breaths he got back up moving carefully to not be seen he looked back at the window but saw no one near it. He sighed in relief again. But then something strange happened.  
Part of the glass got fogged like someone had breathed into it, but there was no one on the other side. Then a handprint appeared in the fog. A small slim hand that Percy so loved to lace his fingers with. Well dam.  
Annabeth was still inside.  
He cursed in ancient Greek then bolted around the dreary cabin. Of course, it wasn’t over yet. After all, when had quests ever been this easy?


End file.
